Reaction mixed to tougher Border Patrol stance

The news that the U.S. Border Patrol is hardening its approach to people who illegally cross the United States southern border is drawing mixed reactions from some immigration activists, experts and lawmakers.

Strengthening enforcement along the border is long overdue, said Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Costa Mesa.

"We need to continue implementing policies that carry real consequences to serve as a deterrent from entering illegally, not make it easier for them to stay though amnesty or other mechanisms supported by this Administration," he said.

Some say the new approach will have unintended consequences.

The plan to make punishments for border crossers even tougher than they are now will only benefit smugglers in the long run, said Louis DeSipio, professor of political science and Chicano/Latino studies at UC Irvine.

"The increase in border patrol staffing has necessitated the use of smugglers, which cost $3,000 on average or more," DeSipio said. "So, from the perspective of the potential unauthorized border crosser, the difficulty and penalties have been very high for more than a decade.

"My suspicion is that added complexity if caught will just add to the appeal of using a smuggler and add to what they can charge," he said. "This will, unintentionally, empower organized crime in Mexico."

While some anti-illegal immigration activists applaud the effort to increase consequences for illegal crossers, some believe it's not directly addressing what draws people into the U.S. in the first place – jobs.

"The fact is, however, that until Congress mandates the use of E-Verify by all employers to ensure that illegal aliens cannot obtain or keep jobs in the United States, illegal immigration will continue because the rewards will still outweigh the risk of apprehension," said Rosemary Jenks, director of Government Relations for the immigration reduction group NumbersUSA.

E-Verify is a free federal online system that allows employers to check the validity of a new hire's Social Security number to determine whether he or she is authorized to work in the United States. A federal bill mandating the program was approved at a Congressional committee but still has not made it to the House.

It's unclear whether House Speaker John Boehner, a Republican, will allow the bill to reach a vote. Some activists consider the bill dead, for now.

Immigrant rights activists contend the illegal immigration issue must be solved in a comprehensive manner.

"At this point, the general public really wants to see policy development that is comprehensive in nature," said Wendy Tarr, director of Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice of Orange County. "We need to be addressing the (mechanisms) that cause the border crossings and the lack of legal paths for workers. I think our time and resources would be best utilized when we take into account the larger picture."

After years of increased manpower and resources at the federal agency, coupled with a dramatic decrease of apprehensions along the border, Border Patrol agents said they can now slap more serious consequences on almost everyone they catch along the 1,954-mile border – from Texas to California, the Associated Press reported.

The "Consequence Delivery System" divides illegal border crossers into seven categories, ranging from people with first-time offenses to those with criminal records, AP reported.

The punishments vary by region but the goal is to no longer just turn people around to the nearest border crossing after taking their fingerprints. The only exceptions would be in the case of the border crossers who are children or medically ill, according to the news report.

In addition to federal prosecution, officials hope other strategies will help deter people from crossing the border illegally.

For instance, during summers in Arizona, immigration officials fly migrants to Mexico City, where they are then given one-way bus tickets to their hometowns, according to AP.